    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 27 (Monday, July 14, 2008)]
    [Pages 970-971]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Remarks Following a Meeting With G-8 Africa Outreach Representatives in
    Toyako

    July 7, 2008

        President Bush. I'm really pleased to be standing with a really good
    friend of the American people and a great leader in Africa, President
    Kikwete of Tanzania. I just--first of all, I'd like to announce that
    he's coming to visit in late August. I'm really looking forward to
    having you to the White House; looking forward to giving you a good
    dinner. And we'll have a good visit.
        President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of Tanzania. Looking forward.
        President Bush. Yes. I am--you know, one of the things that's so
    impressive about his leadership in Tanzania is that the help of the
    American people is effective help, measurable in the number of people
    whose lives are being saved; babies are being helped with malaria. I
    mean, it's just unbelievable the job you've done there. And we're
    excited to welcome you to the country. I really want the American people
    to hear firsthand how successful their generosity has been, whether it
    be on HIV/AIDS or malaria. And Tanzania is a good example. But this
    success would not have taken place without your leadership--really
    important.
        The other thing we discussed in the--we discussed a lot of issues
    with the African leaders here in the G-8, but one, of course, was
    Zimbabwe. You know, I care deeply about the people of Zimbabwe. I am
    extremely disappointed in the elections, which I labeled a sham
    election. And we, of course, listened very carefully. And, President
    Kikwete, as the head of the AU, has been very involved in this issue.
    I'm not going to put words in his mouth--he can express his own self--
    but it was--this issue of Zimbabwe took a fair amount of time----
        President Kikwete. It did; it did.
        President Bush. ----and rightly so. Anyway, thank you for agreeing
    to come to the States. And I'm really looking forward to having you.
        President Kikwete. President, let me thank you for the invitation.
    I'm really looking forward too. We enjoyed your visit there. I think
    I've been around for some time. I think one--that was one of Tanzania's
    biggest visits.
        President Bush. Thank you.
        President Kikwete. You saw how people came out into the streets to
    receive you. It's a measure of our appreciation of what the United--the
    people of the United States have done to--[inaudible]--in many things.
    Many lives have been saved through that--those programs in support of
    malaria, for to HIV/AIDS, but there are so many other programs that are
    building our--capacity of our people to measure--to marry their own
    development, which we highly appreciate.
        Well, of course we see eye to eye on many international issues. Of
    course, we have discussed the issue of Zimbabwe, where we understand
    your concerns. But I want to assure you that the concerns that you have
    expressed are indeed the concerns of many of us in the African
    Continent. At the last summit of the African Union, many leaders
    expressed their dissatisfaction at the way things happened, but also, we
    agreed on the way forward.
        The only area that we may differ is on the way forward. You see
    differently, but for us in Africa we see differently. But I think,
    again, there is still room for us for discussions. We are saying no
    party can govern alone in Zimbabwe, and therefore, the parties have to
    work together to come out, work together in a government, and then look
    at the future of their country together.
        So this is what we--the way we see it. I don't think that there is
    much divergence there. You would have liked to see us do a bit--some
    things; we would also like to see you do some things. But we'll continue
    to discuss all these issues, and as friends at the end of the day, we'll
    come to an understanding.
        President Bush. Thank you, sir. Looking forward to having you in
    Washington.
        President Kikwete. Thank you.
        President Bush. Some of these very same people will be there yelling
    questions there

    [[Page 971]]

    at the press conference. Thank you. Nice to see you.

    Note: The President spoke at 4:12 p.m. at the Windsor Hotel Toya Resort
    and Spa.